Thursday, 31 July 2014

It's lovely in this weather to walk around the garden in the early morning while the shadows are long and everything is quiet.

The lawn is starting to suffer from such a long drought. But look how the yew has grown - I'll make a decent topiary shape of it yet!

I see why garden photographers like to take their photos at the beginning or the end of a day, the contrasting light is so dramatic.

We had to go to Wells and I took my camera. I've photographed there before but I seem to recall it was a dull, damp day. Yesterday the city (although small, Wells is a city because it has a cathedral) was crowded with holiday makers. The shops have changed over the years, now they cater more for the tourist trade and eating places have replaced antique shops, fabric and book shops, all places that I used to enjoy.

They take their floral displays seriously in Wells,

a lovely balcony at the Swan Hotel,

which has a fine view of the cathedral from the front door.

It was early in the day and the cathedral west front was still in shadow. It is a fantastic example of medieval sculpture.

On our recent holiday in Croatia I photographed buildings and examples of stone carving. There are many equally pleasing things here in Wells, so close to where we live.

This is my favourite street.

It has direct access to the cathedral up steps under this archway. The houses were built as accommodation for the Vicars' Choral so there will have been a great deal of popping back and forth.

Monday, 28 July 2014

The wonderful weather continues and I'm slobbing about the garden in comfortable old cotton clothes for Patti's Not Dead Yet Monday. The top and skirt are old, bought for just a few pounds years ago.

The top has lost it's shape and is skewed to one side and the skirt is baggy to put it mildly - perhaps that's why these clothes feel so comfy!

The cowhide belt is a hand-me-down from a daughter and the beaded sandals are old favourites from Duo. (I'm sitting in the rowing boat seat - the only boat I'll be in for a the foreseeable future!)

There is plenty of summer colour in the garden

and a good choice of flowers to pick for the house.

On Saturday evening friends came to supper, a good opportunity to use some garden produce. I made zucchini ripieni

and a curried potato salad with the Charlotte potatoes.

We got out the deck chairs,

and set tables on the lawn. It was our book group meeting to talk about Ian McEwan's 'Sweet Tooth', so, of course, there had to be puddings! As with the critics, the book divided opinion but provided a lively discussion. We sat outside well into the night with just a few lanterns on the tables to cast a bit of light. If only we could have summers like this every year!

About Me

I live with Himself (husband) in a former gamekeeper's cottage in the South-West of England.
All text and photographs on this blog are
copyright and property of Rosemary Murphy unless otherwise stated.
I have three blogs;
Share my garden,
My life in one hundred objects and
Miss Cellany.
The 'Himself' blog consists of short stories and artwork, copyright of Peter Murphy.